Skip the red rose petals sprinkled on the table or around the room. Instead go with a single orchid as the centerpiece on your table.

Set the romantic ambience. It’s as easy as lighting candles, playing soft classical music and darkening the room.

Have appetizers ready. If you are so inclined, serve a few raw oysters on the half shell. They are an aphrodisiac, after all. Otherwise, serve smoked salmon purchased from the supermarket with a scoop of creme fraiche (a type of sour cream), capers and chopped red onion. Even easier — arrange cheeses on a board with fruits such as grapes and honey comb.

For dinner, make something simple such as sauteed halibut with wilted arugula. Sprinkle the fish with sea salt and ground white pepper. Sear in a pan for about two minutes per side. Remove from pan. Create a sauce for the fish by adding minced ginger, garlic and white wine with a pat of butter in the pan. Pour sauce over fish. Serve on top of wilted arugula. To make arugula, heat olive oil in a saute pan with a little bit of lemon juice. Add arugula and cook for 1 to 2 minutes until it wilts. Sprinkle with salt.

Steer clear of making your own dessert. Working with chocolate and ganache can be treacherous and just creates a whole mess in your kitchen. Purchase a dessert, preferably something made from chocolate, at the supermarket or a local bakery. 

A fireplace is beautiful. Set the table in front of the fireplace and turn down all the lights which is especially romantic on a cold night.

Champagne is a plus. Try Sainte Michele blanc de blanc for about $10.

Finger foods and making multiple courses to feed each other is very romantic. But really, the most romantic thing is making sure you accommodate your loved one’s taste and concentrate on their favorite foods. If they like tuna do a small tuna on crostini with a wasabi sauce. Or, do a thin slice of filet mignon on a toasted bread point with a little horseradish.

Make a shrimp and penne pasta. Take olive oil, a touch of butter, lemon juice, shallots and garlic and saute in a pan over low heat. Add shrimp and saute until they are no longer pink. Add chopped cherry tomatoes, toss with penne pasta and top with shaved parmesan cheese and torn fresh basil leaves.

The best way to do dessert is melt chocolate and serve warm to dip fruits such as strawberries and blackberries.

Or, dip fruits in homemade whipped cream. Whip one 1 cup of heavy cream and before it forms soft peaks, add 2 tablespoons powdered sugar and 1 teaspoon of vanilla. Whip a few seconds more until you see those soft peaks form.

Stick to simple things. It’s as easy as going to the supermarket and purchasing a French baguette. Cut it into slices and top with brie. Place in the oven at 350 degrees until the cheese melts. Top with a drizzle of melba sauce purchased from the supermarket.

Chili peppers and chocolate are a perfect way to heat up Valentine’s Day. Take a can or jar of chipotles in adobo sauce. Puree some in a food processor or blender. Spoon a little bit on top of a slice of chocolate cheesecake purchased from the supermarket.

Don’t spend a lot of money. The evening could be as simple as watching a movie in your pajamas and snacking on popcorn and drinking red wine.

A good card with a single flower can go a long way. A single flower is really cool and really pretty.

Related Stories

Featured Story

Get 'Today's Front Page' in your inbox

This newsletter is sent every morning at 6 a.m. and includes the morning's top stories, a full list of obituaries, links to comics and puzzles and the most recent news, sports and entertainment headlines.

optionalCheck here if you do not want to receive additional email offers and information.See our privacy policy

Thank you for signing up for 'Today's Front Page'

To view and subscribe to any of our other newsletters, please click here.